Both Non-Returners and Arahants are completely free from sensual desire, but if those famous forest monks were indeed highly attained Noble Ones it is possible that they continued smoking out of habit. See the story of Pilindavaccha . He was an Arahant who persisted in calling people as outcaste (va...

When I first became a Buddhist I learnt that “Craving is the cause of suffering.” It was quite obvious to me that I smoked cigarettes due to craving for nicotine. I therefore gave it up after about four weeks. Whether such addictive substances as betel or tobacco break the fifth precept is a moot po...

Some key points about this thread. The title chosen by Sarath W is typical . It is designed to court controversy, which seems to be the main purpose of this forum now. A better approach would be: "I am trying to practise the Mahāsi method: Can anyone offer some guidance?" If you're not interested in...

Disparaging the Noble Ones creates obstructive kamma that precludes any further progress on the path until one asks for forgiveness. This is not a threat. It is a warning. Preparatory Stage An additional rule is not to speak with contempt, in jest, or with malice to or about any of the noble ones wh...

3. Some Facts A Meditator Should Know There are many fake lights of wisdom practice spreading actively in the world and this is a cause for concern. The following information was gathered from a Burmese meditation teacher. Some time ago in a certain town in Burma, there was a prominent monk who tau...

Lekha Suttaṃ (A.i.283) Writing “Monks, three kinds of individuals can be found in the world. What three? An individual who is like writing carved in stone. An individual who is like writing scratched on the ground. An individual who is like writing traced in the water.¹ “What, monks, is the individ...

One can choose to engage in fruitless debate, or one can choose to meditate, observing mental and physical phenomena to understand their dependent arising. As the Mahāsi Sayādaw said in his Discourse on Dependent Origination: “The third aspect of Dependent Origination is the absence of striving (avy...

If we want to establish Buddhism in the West we have to give up attachments. Let those who wish use Bhante, let those who wish use Bhikkhu, let those who wish use Ajahn, let those who wish use Venerable, let those who wish use Sayādaw, etc. I have heard other expressions, e.g. sir or mate, but I usu...

Ūmībhaya Sutta — The Peril of Waves “There are four perils, monks, to be anticipated by one who enters the water. What four? The peril of waves, the peril of crocodiles, the peril of whirlpools, and the peril of fierce fish. ... “And what, monks, is the peril of crocodiles? Herein, monks, one who ...